What Is Your Level of Classroom "Withitness?"
We've all seen them--those amazing teachers who can write on the
board, direct a small-group reading circle, and gently redirect three
off-task students at the same time. Their expertise is an inspiration
for us all. As amazing and inspiring as it may be, however, no one
is actually born with the trait of "withitness."
What is withitness? At all times a teacher knows what’s going on in
class.
Teachers with withitness are said to have eyes in the back of their
heads. But, since they never turn their backs on the class, this is
not really necessary.
Here are some simple tips for cultivating your own classroom
withitness:
1. Don’t ever turn your back on a class.
2. Be alert to signs and signals among your students
3. Be prepared so that you can focus on students instead of the
lesson.
4. Develop your personal multitasking skills.
5. Stay on your feet and monitor.
6. Arrange your class so that you can see and be seen.
7. Don’t distract students when they are working.
8. Pace lessons so that they flow in a businesslike manner.
9. Quietly correct off task behavior and then move on.
Here's a quick excerpt from the handouts that accompany the
professional development DVD. Use it to determine just how you
rate as a teacher who knows what is going on in class?
TEACHER SELF-ASSESSMENT 5.7: WHAT IS YOUR LEVEL OF
WITHITNESS?
Use the list of strategies below to assess your level of withitness.
Rank yourself on a scale of 1-3 with 3 being as successful as
possible. Any strategy that you can’t rank yourself as a 3 should be
one that you continue to work to improve.
1. _____Don’t turn your back on a class.
2. _____Be alert to signs and signals among your students.
3. _____Know your students well.
4. _____Greet students at the door at the start of class to scan for
potential problems.
5. _____Be prepared so that you can focus on students instead of the
lesson.
6. _____Develop your personal multitasking skills.
7. _____Stay on your feet and monitor.
8._____Arrange your class so that you can see and be seen.
9._____Don’t distract students when they are working.
10._____Pace lessons so that they flow in a businesslike manner.
11. _____Quietly correct off task behavior and then move on.
At this point in the school year, I always wonder if I am an effective
teacher when it comes to classroom management. Even though I
have written pages and pages about it, I still worry that my own
classroom is not as well-managed as it should be and could be.
Like other teachers, I want to make sure that every student
becomes a self-disciplined success story. With that lofty goal in
mind, I spend time each year when a grading period ends to review
my efforts at making sure that my classroom management
procedures and policies are as effective as I would like for them to
be.
With that in mind, you may also want to take a mid-year moment to
examine your own classroom management effectiveness. While
there are many different approaches to solve discipline problems,
some are simply more effective than others. As you take this quiz,
ask yourself which of the answer choices would be the most
effective way to handle a problem that you and your students may
be experiencing.
1. Students take too long to get their materials arranged for a test.
a.
Remind them to hurry.
b.
Start the test and let the slow ones catch up.
c.
Tell them they can have one minute to get ready and then
time them by pointedly watching the clock.
2. A student is lost in a daydream instead of finishing a reading
assignment.
a.
Tell the student that if he or she doesn’t get to work, there
will be more to do for homework.
b.
Stay at your desk and wait to see how long it takes the
dreamer to get back to work.
c.
Move to stand near the student.
3. Students jokingly insult each other while waiting for class to
begin.
a.
Ignore the horseplay. Class hasn’t started yet.
b.
Remind students of the procedure for starting class and the
class rule about showing respect for others.
c.
Tell students to stop and to get to work at once.
4. A student always finishes assignments in a rush and then wants
to spend the rest of class doing absolutely nothing.
a.
As long as no one else is being bothered, there is no
real
problem.
b.
Design instruction so that one assignment will flow into
the next. Students can use a checklist to keep on track.
c.
Give the student more work to do.
5. A few students show up day after day without completed
homework assignments.
a.
Tell them that they are going to fail the class and that you
are going to call home.
b.
Ask them to write out the reason and then work with them
to figure out a solution. Take a positive approach.
c.
Stop giving homework assignments. Focus on class time
learning instead.
6. Students ball up papers and toss them at the wastebasket while
you are giving directions about an assignment.
a.
Shake your head, frown, and move near them.
b.
Stop what you are saying and reprimand them.
c.
Finish your directions. Go to the students and quietly ask
them about the class rule they violated.
7. A student is constantly disorganized. A book bag full of
crumpled papers functions as a locker.
a.
Keep the student after class and straighten out the mess
together. Work out a weekly organization goal.
b.
Call home and talk to a parent about helping the student
get organized.
c.
Assign binder buddies to help the student find materials.
8. Students chat while you are explaining the homework
assignment.
a.
Ignore it.
b.
Stop and wait for them to pay attention. Call them to order
if needed.
c.
Tell them to stop talking and start paying attention.
9. A student lacks a textbook, pen, or paper.
a.
Share materials from the class storehouse.
b.
Don’t allow student to complete the work in class. He or
she can do it at home. This will help all students remember
to bring materials next time.
c.
Allow student to borrow from classmates.
10. Students talk back rudely when you have reprimanded them.
a.
b.
c.
Send them to the office.
Reprimand them privately.
Ignore it.
11. Students turn in sloppy or inaccurate work.
a.
b.
c.
Refuse to take it.
Take it but give a lecture about work habits.
Require that they redo the work whenever practical.
12. Students are tardy to class without a good reason.
a.
b.
c.
Enforce your rules regarding tardiness to class.
Refuse to let them in.
Meet them at the door and ask why they are tardy.
13. Some students ignore you when you call for the class to quiet
down to work.
a.
Keep asking until they listen to you.
b.
Raise your voice until no one can ignore you.
c.
Give the signal that they recognize as a sign that they need
to get quiet.
14. A student seems to take forever to dawdle over any assignment
in class—tests, quizzes, and other written work.
a.
Give the student a timer to self-manage tasks.
b.
Call home to find out any reasons for the problem.
c.
Talk to the student to find out the reasons for the slow pace
and to find ways to help the student stay focused and
productive.
15. One student refuses to work with the rest of the students in a
group.
a.
Make sure that everyone knows the reason for the
assignment, has an appropriate role in the group, and has
been taught teamwork skills.
b.
Ignore the situation as long as you can so that students can
work it out for themselves.
c.
Take care to assign students to groups where they will be
able to work with friends
Answers:
1. c 6. a 11. c
2. c 7. a 12. a
3. b 8. b 13. c
4. b 9. a 14. c
5. b 10. b 15. a
About Julia Thompson
As a workshop leader and writer,
best-selling author Julia
Thompson has taught thousands
of teachers how to create
student-centred classrooms,
thrive during that important first
year of teaching, motivate
reluctant learners, prevent
discipline problems, and sustain
high expectations for the success
of their students as well as for
themselves.
A practicing classroom teacher, Julia is the author of
several resources for teachers. In each of her books, she
presents classroom-tested ideas, activities, and
strategies designed to make each school day a
successful one. Because she is a full-time teacher
herself, Julia focuses her advice on the practical aspects
of a teacher's busy professional life. She understands
first-hand the realities of today's classroom. This
extensive experience and the insights she has gained as
a teacher trainer have shaped her beliefs about the daily
challenges that can confront even the most steadfast
teachers.
Julia's dedication to promoting excellence among her
colleagues and to helping new teachers translate their
dreams into successful practice is the focus of her work
as an author of professional development resources and
as a teacher trainer.
Books written by Julia and available to order from
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